Introduction Military personnel deployed in areas of conflict run the risk of exposure to a variety of chemicals and biological toxins used as weapons of mass destruction. In response to such threats, the Department of Defense (DoD) has developed a wide range of specially designed chemical and biological defense equipment for use by U.S. armed forces, including protective masks, filters, clothing, decontamination agents, and detectors/warning systems. Because they may contain hazardous substances, chemical defense items require proper management as they are demilitarized and/or turned in for disposal. The purpose of this fact sheet is to outline the general regulatory framework governing the demilitarization and disposal of chemical defense equipment and provide references and points of contact for specific demilitarization and disposal information. (Unless otherwise specified in the text, the term "chemical defense equipment" as used in this Fact Sheet will denote both chemical and biological defense equipment that is unopened, uncontaminated, and expired.)
Applicable Policies and Guidelines The Defense Materiel Disposition Manual The Defense Materiel Disposition Manual (DMDM), DoD 4160.21-M, is issued under the authority of DoD 4140.1-R, "Department of Defense Materiel Management Regulation." The DMDM sets forth DoD policy and prescribes uniform procedures for the disposition of DoD personal property. (NOTE: The DMDM was totally revised and reissued 18 August 1997, and supersedes DoD 4160.21-M, March 1990, Change 1 and numbered letters through 96-01.) Chapter 10, Attachment 1, "Special Turn-in Requirements," provides guidance governing additional turn-in requirements as well as special handling and processing requirements for hazardous property, which would include some chemical defense equipment items.
The Defense Demilitarization Manual
DoD 4160.21-M-1 implements the policy and procedures relating to military items, including chemical defense equipment owned or procured by, or under the control of, U.S. Military Services and Defense Agencies. The manual specifies the items to be demilitarized, designates key points to be destroyed, and prescribes methods for accomplishment of demilitarization.
The Defense Demilitarization Manual is undergoing revision and, upon finalization, will be called the Demilitarization and Trade Security Controls Manual. Copies of both the new Defense Materiel Disposition Manual and the DRAFT Demilitarization and Trade Security Controls Manual can be downloaded from
Demilitarization Requirements for Chemical Defense Equipment
Chapter 10 of the DoD DMDM states, in accordance with DoD Instruction 471.6 "Environmental Compliance," the DRMO is responsible for the disposal of excess and hazardous property for the DoD and that use of DRMO services is the preferred method of disposal.
The DoD DMDM further states that DoD installations are responsible for identifying known hazards contained in returned property, especially property requiring demilitarization. With certain exceptions, DoD installations are generally not required to demilitarize chemical defense items before turn-in to a DRMO. The exceptions would be certain items of chemical defense equipment assigned demilitarization codes requiring the installation to demilitarize the item before its transfer to a DRMO. What remains of chemical defense items demilitarized by Air Force installations or activities, as well as non-demilitarized items, are transferred to a DRMO. The Air Force installation or activity is responsible for clearly identifying any hazardous components contained in chemical defense equipment transferred to a DRMO, whether or not the equipment has already been demilitarized.
Appendix 4 of the DoD Defense Demilitarization Manual outlines demilitarization procedures for chemical defense items by their Munitions List category. Chemical defense items used by U.S. Military Services, including the Air Force, are found in Munitions List categories X(c), X(d), X(e), XIV(c), and XIV(e) and XIV(f) (see Figure 1).
NOTE: PRO-ACT recommends that Air Force personnel responsible for the demilitarization and turn-in of chemical defense equipment contact their local DRMO, supply officials, item/technical managers, and environmental staff for specific instructions and confirmation that correct procedures are being followed.
DRMS Demilitarization Program
The demilitarization program is a major part of the DRMO's mission. It prevents offensive and defensive military equipment, including chemical defense equipment, from being released to the public. It also prevents battlefield-related property from being unnecessarily rendered useless. Many items once purchased to support combat readiness can be reused and in many cases, partially demilitarized property can be reused without endangering the public. Demilitarized equipment turned in to the DRMS is sold only as scrap.
The DRMS World Wide Web site can be visited at http://www.drms.dla.mil/index.html. A listing of DRMO locations worldwide is available at http://www.drms.dla.mil/drmo/site/drmo.html. The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Manual, DoD 4160.21-M ("Fat Book") is available at http://www.drms.dla.mil/pubs/toc.htm. DoD 4160.21-M-1, "Defense Demilitarization Manual," is available at http://www.dlaps.hq.dla.mil/dynaweb/dlaps/dodman/.
The CBDCOM's Environmental Quality Office develops detailed procedures for demilitarization of chemical defense equipment that ensure military items do not get into the wrong hands and environmental laws are not violated upon item disposal. All of the Environmental Quality Office's demilitarization and disposal procedures follow the United States Munitions List regulations in Title 22 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 121, as implemented in the Department of Defense Demilitarization Manual DoD 4160.21-M-1, and are in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Title 40 CFR 261.
CBDCOM's Environmental Quality Office has developed a Demilitarization Computer Disk that allows the user to look up chemical defense items listed in the Army Master Data File or other service catalogs, including detector kits, decon kits, decon equipment, protective masks/filters, alarms, and chemicals like Super Tropical Bleach, DS2, and impregnite. Once the item is located in the database, the disk allows the user to print an item-specific demilitarization procedure, instructions, and pertinent Material Safety Data Sheets for constituent chemicals. The disk is designed primarily for field troops; however, Air Force staff involved in the proper disposition of obsolete or expired chemical defense equipment may find the disk useful. Most chemical defense items supplied to the Air Force can be found in the Demilitarization Computer Disk. To obtain demilitarization procedures for Air Force-specific chemical defense items not found in the Disk, the base supply office or the servicing DRMO should be consulted for specific instructions.
The Demilitarization Computer Disk is available from the CBDCOM Environmental Quality Office, DSN 584-6588 or (410) 612-6588. Figure 2 presents a sample of the type of information available on the Demilitarization Computer Disk.
CBDCOM's Environmental Quality Office also provides demilitarization training programs for chemical defense equipment. The training covers munitions inventory categorization, demilitarization procedures, rationale for each category, and hazardous waste minimization initiatives. In addition, the Environmental Quality Office maintains compositions, specifications, data, pictures/diagrams, and manuals on 20+ year old obsolete equipment that may be found in warehouses during inspection clean-ups, and 40+ year old equipment found in old excavated burial dumps.
The U.S. Army CBDCOM WWW site, including links to ERDEC and newsletters, can be visited at http://cbdcom.apgea.army.mil.
(Please refer to the actual CBDCOM Computer Disk for complete and detailed instructions and information.)
M9 paper NSN 6665-01-226-5589 is made with a chromium-containing dye. A Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test was performed on 21 March 1990 by CBDCOM, the results of which determined the paper does not leach chromium in excess of acceptable levels and therefore is not a hazardous waste.
MSDS Sheets for both types of M9 Chemical Agent Detector Paper are attached to the demilitarization procedures.
The M18A2 Detector Kit contains mercury compounds. The Item Manager must be contacted before demilitarization of the kit. Review this demilitarization procedure with your DRMO and environmental office to determine the desirability of separating the components of the kit. Before breaking or emptying any vial, ampoule, or tube, personnel should wear protective gloves and avoid breathing the chemical contents.
MSgt Salvey, Contingency Support Directorate, Readiness Division (HQ AFCESA/CEXR), DSN 523-6161.
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